Tender-coupling.



W. F. RICHARDS.

TENDER GOUPLING.

[Application led. June 22, 1900.) (No Modal.)

Patented lune Il, |90I.

2 Sheets-Sheet l wrm wams PETERS co. Promo-mmc.. wAsHwumu, p

No. 676,I54. l Patented lune Il, IQOI. w. F. RICHARDS. TENDER CUPLING.

` (Application ld June 22, 1900.) (No Model.) V2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED f STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD F. RICIARDS, OFBUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOULD OOUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

`TENDER-couPLING.

y srncrricarron forming part @Letters raient No. 676,154, dated June 11, 1901. applicati@ inea rune 22,1900, 4serial No. 21,156. m0' model.)

a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented newand useful Improvements in Tender-Couplers, of which the fol` lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplersdesigned more especially for locomotive-tenders and having .a comparatively short shank which is pivoted to swing laterally on the tender and which is yieldingly held in its central position by springs operating against opposite sides of the same.

The objects of my invention are to apply the centering-springs in such manner that they act freely and' effectively in all positions of the coupling and to facilitate the removal and replacement of the springs in making repairs or renewing the springs.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation of the coupling. Fig. 4 is a detached top plan View of the bracket to which the couplershank is pivoted. i

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures. Y

A is an upright base plate or bracket, which is secured to the end sill of the locomotivetender and which is provided centrally with a forwardly-extending rectangular socket C, which is stiffened by suitable ribs o.

D is the draw-head of the car-coupling, and D' its shank, which is pivoted at its inner end in the socket O by a vertical pin d, passing through the shank and the top and bottom of the socket, so that the coupling is capable of swinging laterally in a well-known manner. The shank is hollow and preferably provided with an internal hub or hollow cylindrical boss e, through which the pivot-pin d passes, as shown in Fig. 2.

F F represent centering-springs arranged on opposite sides of the shank D. The inner ends of these springs bear against opposite sides of an upright web or lug g, which projects forwardly from the hub or hollow boss e, while `their outer ends abut against shoulders h, `formed on horizontally-swinging studs or pins H, which enter the springs and are pivoted to the side walls of the socket C by vertical pintles or pins t'. These pintles pass through the` hubs or knuckles of the studs H and through perforated horizontal ears t", projecting outwardly from the side walls of the socket O.

The lug or web g of the draw-head shank is provided on opposite sides with studs j, which enter the inner ends of the springs, preventing displacement of the same. The springs extend through openings k lo', formed in the side walls of the socket C, and the hollow shank, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the springs and their hinged abutment-studs H are arranged Atransversely of the draw-head shank, the same being preferably arranged to converge forwardly slightly in the central position of the draw-head to obtain a better action of the springs.

By mounting the outen'ends of the springs on the swiveling studs or abutments H the spring which is compressed by the lateral movement of the draw-head swings rearwardly in the same measure that the drawhead swings laterally. The springs are thus compressed squarely and evenly in all positions of deiiection of the draw-head, and the cramping or uneven crowding of the springs,

readily removed or replaced for renewing a broken spring, and this can be done without requiring the removal of the draw-head from the bracket A.

The bottom of the socket C is preferably provided with a wear-plate or' lining L, `upon which the draw-head rests and slides in swing- IOO tively Wide and extends forwardly beyond the side Walls of the socket, as shown in Figs. 2

and 4. In order to lubricate the contiguous surfaces of the wear-plate and the draw-head, said plate is provided in its upper side with a pocket or cavity Z, adapted to be packed with saturated'waste, which extends tothe surface of the Wear-plate, so asto lubricate the latter and the `under side of thedrawhead. The Wear-plate is secured to the bottom of the socket C by vertical bolts m. The car-coupling in service has a tendency to sag, and when this occurs the coupling can be readily raised to its proper level position by loosening the fastening-bolts m and interposing-,aI shin or washer of the properY thickness between the Wear-.plate and the bottom-of the socket C, the bolts being again tightened after inserting the shim.

I` claim as my inventionl. The combination with a bracket, of a laterally-swinging car-coupler provided withV land at theirouter ends against "said abutler-shank, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a bracket, of a laterally-Swingin g car-coupler havin gahollow shank pivoted to said bracket and provided in its side wallsvwith openings and on the front side of its pivot with an internal centering-lug arranged lengthwise of the shank,

11er-shank, and centering-springs passing through the side openings o't' the couplershank and mounted on said pivoted studs and bearing against opposite sides of said centering-lug, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 14th day of June,

WILLARD F. RioHARDs.

Witnesses:

JNO. J. BONN'ER', CLAUDIA M. BENTLEY. 

